J & S Franklin Ltd2009-02-13 14:27:45

DefenCell blocks Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED)

DefenCell successfully tested against a VBIED recently at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, AL. The demonstration, to the US Army EOD training department, was designed to illustrate the ease of use, effective¬ness and re-usability of DefenCell in the training of EOD specialists performing Battle Damage Assessment.

Forensic examination of the blast scene after the blast was made simpler as DefenCell is completely non-metallic. So any metal fragments in the wall would be as a direct result of the explosion and originate either from the vehicle or the IED. Nor is there any threat of secondary shrapnel or spall from the wall.

Two DefenCell walls, of different widths, 16 feet long and 64" high, were built 20 feet apart, and the car was placed 3 feet from one wall. The IED (120mm mortar shell (approx 14lbs TNT equivalent) with a 1.2lb C4 primer) was placed in the trunk of the car. Everybody retired to a safe distance and the charge was detonated remotely.

On inspection after detonation it was noted that the wall closest to the car sustained some damage to the front row of cells but this would be easily repaired using DefenCell cell replacement and fixing studs and some smaller shrapnel damage was fixed using the patch repair kit. With minimal repair and some site clean-up, the walls could be re-used for another training session within 2 hours.